MPs grill NBTC over high budget, weak oversight and consumer failures

The House of Representatives turned into a heated forum for scrutiny of the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC), as MPs from both the opposition and government benches criticised the regulator over its 2023 spending and asset-use assessment report.

The debate, held on May 21, went far beyond routine consideration of an annual report. Lawmakers questioned whether the NBTC, an independent regulator with extensive authority, large funds and a sizeable annual budget, has delivered enough for the public after years of operation.

MPs raised concerns over consumer protection, telecoms market competition, tangled communication cables, call-centre scams, illegal SIM cards, online fraud, over-the-top (OTT) platforms, the future of digital television after 2029 and transparency in budget management.

NBTC branded a ‘defendant in society’

Satit Wongnongtaey, a Democrat Party list MP, delivered one of the strongest attacks, saying the NBTC had become a “defendant in society” over consumer protection.

He said that during the 16 years since the NBTC law came into force, the regulator had failed to build public confidence and protect consumers effectively, despite this being one of its core legal duties.

Satit said the NBTC’s spending structure showed a serious imbalance. More than 59.14% of its expenditure went to routine work and building construction, while only about 40% was allocated to strategic core missions.

He also criticised what he described as wasteful spending, including overseas travel and the use of Broadcasting and Telecommunications Research and Development Fund for Public Interest funding to support a cannabis-growing project, which he questioned as being outside the NBTC’s core duties.

Telecoms mergers called a ‘stain’ on the regulator

Satit also attacked the state of Thailand’s telecoms market, saying the original goal was to promote free competition, but major operators had declined from six or seven to only two over the past 16 years.

He described telecoms merger deals as a “stain” on the NBTC, saying the regulator had treated its role as merely “acknowledging” deals rather than granting approval. He said this had contributed to rising mobile and internet service costs and had failed to benefit consumers.

He also questioned delays in the digital TV roadmap and preparations for spectrum auctions after licences expire in 2029, warning that the lack of clarity could fuel concerns that certain capital groups may benefit.

OTT platforms and scammers under scrutiny

Satit said the NBTC had also neglected oversight of OTT platforms, despite earlier resolutions that the regulator had the authority to supervise them.

He said the absence of proper regulation had allowed such platforms to become channels for scammers and call-centre gangs.

He concluded that the NBTC was facing serious problems involving failed core missions, internal board conflict and a lack of transparency, and asked whether it was time to review the organisation seriously or even dissolve it and establish a new body.

4-billion-baht operating cost questioned

Isriya Paireepairit, a People’s Party list MP, focused on the value of the NBTC’s spending.

He suggested that the NBTC use Arabic numerals instead of Thai numerals in its annual reports to meet international standards and make data easier to compare.

Isriya said that even after deducting legally required expenses, the NBTC still had operating costs of around 4 billion baht a year. He questioned whether this level of spending was worth the results society received, given unresolved problems including the abandoned new headquarters, tangled communication cables and conflicts within the NBTC board.

He noted that the NBTC had about 2,000 staff with an average monthly salary of 52,700 baht, excluding board remuneration. Other high expenses included 212 million baht in consultancy fees and 85 million baht in overseas travel costs.

Transparency, bad debts and complaint systems challenged

MPs also questioned NBTC transparency, saying the regulator had failed to comply with Clause 29 by not submitting budget-spending reports. This raised suspicion over whether it intended to avoid disclosing information to the State Audit Office.

Lawmakers also pointed to 17 debtors whose legal enforcement periods had already expired.

The NBTC’s public complaint system also came under criticism. MPs cited the “Peace Phone” application, which cost 4.58 million baht, but did not allow the public to report dangerous communication cables directly. Instead, complaints had to be emailed to officers, who then entered the information into the system.

MPs said the system was used only by officials and mobile operators, unlike more accessible platforms such as Traffy Fondue.

People’s Party MPs also questioned when the NBTC would include the problem of unused or “dead” communication cables, known as Single Last Mile cables, in its strategic plan. They asked when the regulator would issue rules forcing mobile operators to remove dead cables from power poles, and when NBTC or USO funds would be used to help solve cable hazards affecting the public.

Government MPs press for action on call-centre gangs

Government MPs also joined the pressure on the NBTC.

Suchada Thaensap, a Bhumjaithai MP for Chaiyaphum Constituency 4, said call-centre gangs and scammers relied on infrastructure under NBTC supervision, including mobile SIM cards, SMS systems, SIM boxes and border-area signals.

She said that while the government had introduced policies, loopholes remained in practice, including fraudulent SIM registration and signals leaking across border areas.

She said the NBTC, as the regulator, must enforce measures seriously to protect the public.

Suchada also raised concerns over rising personnel costs since 2022, the NBTC’s internal stability, the fact that it has had only an acting secretary-general for six to seven years, and ongoing ethical questions and board conflicts that have affected public confidence in its ability to deal with technology-related threats.

Unfinished 2.64-billion-baht headquarters criticised

Pathida Tantirattananon, a Bhumjaithai MP for Surin Constituency 8, raised the issue of the NBTC’s new headquarters project, with a budget of more than 2.643 billion baht.

Construction began in 2019 and should have been completed in 2022, but progress has reached only 75.98%. The contract with the contractor has since been cancelled, leaving the building abandoned and raising concerns over wasteful use of public money.

She also questioned problems with NBTC offices in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai that had not complied with contract terms, calling for a clear investigation to identify those responsible.

Overseas travel budget faces heavy criticism

Foreign travel spending by the NBTC also came under close scrutiny.

The State Audit Office found there had been no comparison of ticket prices. There were also reports that the NBTC chairman spent as much as 45.8 million baht on overseas travel across 15 trips lasting a combined 121 days.

Some cases reportedly involved claims exceeding the permitted ceiling and benefits beyond regulations, which MPs said conflicted with good governance principles.

Pathida proposed that Parliament set up an ad hoc committee to systematically examine the NBTC’s spending.

63-billion-baht lawsuits and USO fund concerns

Alongkot Maneekat, a Bhumjaithai MP for Nakhon Phanom, focused on the NBTC’s litigation risks.

He said the regulator faced lawsuits seeking damages totalling more than 63 billion baht, including a 36-billion-baht case in the Supreme Administrative Court and another 22-billion-baht case linked to the NBTC fund. However, these liabilities were not clearly shown in its financial statements, reflecting problems in administrative power and contract management.

He also questioned accounting transparency and the NBTC fund structure, asking why the USO fund, which holds a large budget, was not consolidated in the NBTC’s financial statements, leaving the accounts unable to reflect the regulator’s true financial position.

Alongkot also cited unusual accounting items, including licence-fee income rising from 158 million baht to 431 million baht, missing remittances to the Treasury in 2023, and budget allocation problems.

He said more than 59% of the budget went to routine work and building construction, while strategic core missions received only 14.19%. He also pointed to more than 1 billion baht in carried-over funds and 290 million baht in funds that could not be disbursed in time and had to be returned to the Treasury.

Bigger question over the NBTC’s future

The debate reflected mounting political pressure on the NBTC from both opposition and government MPs.

Lawmakers said the regulator holds major authority and a large budget, but its performance has not matched public expectations, especially as call-centre scams, online fraud, dangerous communication cables, telecoms service costs and OTT platforms have become everyday problems for the public.

The strongest point of the debate was not merely a demand for better reports or annual budget explanations, but a broader call to review the NBTC’s entire structure.

The key question raised in Parliament was whether the NBTC can still act as an effective regulator that genuinely protects consumers or whether Thailand needs a deeper institutional overhaul.